A New Definition of Happiness
by What About Love
Summary: Sequel to 'Definition of Happiness' still Will/Karen
1. Chapter 1

_**Five years later…**_

"Damn it, get back here!" Will, Grace, and Jack entered the manse just as Karen's voice echoed down the hall. Emily suddenly came into sight, running to her father, only a little pair of princess panties on her small body. "Emily!" Karen ran after her daughter, a pair of clothes in hand. She looked flustered, the weight of her six month pregnant belly made it easy for her to feel warm at all times.

"Having trouble, Kare?" Will smiled and she threw the pair of clothes at him.

"Shut up." He helped Emily get dressed, and Jack took her to the kitchen for a juice box.

"You should watch your mouth in front of Emily or she'll pick up a colorful vocabulary at an early age."

"Now, you're telling me how to parent?"

"No, you're a great mother; I'm just saying that maybe we don't want our five year old telling her teacher to fuck off in Kindergarten." She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. He walked closer and pecked her lips in a form of greeting. Grace rolled her eyes at the display of affection and went to join Jack and Emily in the kitchen.

"You're the one who taught her that one, honey." He smiled and the stress of the previous moment with her daughter melted away. "How was your book signing?"

"It was okay. I had to stay an extra half-hour to finish the line of readers." He shrugged, but her expression changed to a large smile. He had finished his book and gotten it published almost three months before, and it was already gaining steam. She kissed him, more tenderly than before, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are we a bestseller yet?"

"Don't get too optimistic."

"Why not, honey. Your characters were based on us. I'd say that's a reason to be an optimist; unless there's something I should know about." He pulled her closer than before.

"Mommy, Daddy, are we going to the park or not?" Emily stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "I've been waiting."

"Until you change your tone, honey, we aren't going anywhere." The little girl sighed and immediately did as her mother asked.

"Please, Mommy." Karen smiled and walked over to her daughter, leaning down to place a small kiss on her nose.

"Go get your shoes. We can take Uncle Jack and Aunt Grace with us."

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She lay on her back, sighing as his hands roamed over her swollen feet. Ever since they discovered she was pregnant, again, Will had been catering to her every whim. She never even asked him to do anything for her, but he always insisted. She couldn't complain. His hands had been magical since the first time he touched her. Even a handshake could be sensual with him.

"For someone who doesn't need me hovering over her, you sure are making some interesting sounds." She smiled and lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"You want to hear more?" He returned her smile and quickly crawled up her body, placing his lips upon hers in a tender kiss. She slid her tongue into his mouth and rolled them onto their sides.


	2. Chapter 2

She had just dropped Emily off at her first day of Kindergarten before driving herself to Grace's office. After years of being driven around in a limo, she finally decided to buy a car. The subway was not an option, and Driver was getting too old to operate a vehicle. Besides, it was more practical for her to be able to drive herself and her daughter wherever they needed to be.

"Good morning, Gracie." She smiled to her friend as she entered the office, hanging her coat.

"How cute was she?" Grace referred to Emily on her first day of school as she walked to stand in front of her assistant's desk. Karen smiled and pulled her digital camera out of her purse, handing it over.

"I can't believe I'm one of those moms who take pictures of everything she does." They giggled at the thought and she put the camera back in her purse. "I thought she was going to cry, but she did really well when she got around the other kids."

"That's good." She continued to smile and wiggled a little. Karen gave her a curious glance as she bit her bottom lip.

"Honey, what's going on?"

"Leo and I set our wedding date, and I have a really important question to ask you."

"I don't have to decorate the church with your family or anything do I, because that really sucks?" Grace giggled and shook her head, watching relief pass across Karen's face.

"I want you to be my maid of honor."

"Aw, honey, that's sweet."

"But that's not all." She rushed over to her desk and grabbed a folder, hurriedly handing it over to Karen. She narrowed her eyes and opened to folder to reveal sheet music. "I want you to sing at my wedding." She met Grace's eyes, astonished. She used to sing a lot when she was in her twenties, supporting herself in various ways, but she had no idea that Grace even knew about that. The only person she had ever told was… "Will told me about all the money you used to make."

"How do you even know I'm any good?"

"Will said he's heard you singing before, when Emily is sick and stuff. Plus, Jack's going to play the piano, so it's going to be really special. Please."

"I don't know." Grace rushed over to Karen's side and pulled her into a deep kiss, brushing her hand over her cheek. She pulled away with a perceptible pop, raising her eyebrows in anticipation for a more acceptable response. "Fine, but don't be disappointed if it isn't perfect."

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Traffic had been bumper to bumper for twenty minutes and Karen's patience was running thin. Emily's incessant jabbering from the center of the backseat didn't help. She was telling her mom about the book they had read in school that morning while she played with her pigtails. Karen sighed and tried her hardest not to be annoyed by her daughter's constant talking. It wasn't her fault, and she certainly was doing no harm.

"Emily, honey, I love hearing about your book, but could we have some quiet-time for a few minutes?"

"If you promise to braid my pigtails tonight."

"I promise, sweetie." She took a deep breath as only the radio filled the car with noise. As she leaned her head back against the headrest on her seat she put the car in park, taking off her seatbelt as well. It didn't look like they were moving anytime soon. She looked out the window and her brow furrowed at a strange sight. A large semi was racing down an alley, which she was sure wasn't supposed to be used as a shortcut through traffic.

The thought of something illegal happening in New York didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was the speed with which the vehicle was moving. It was still a decent distance away, but her heart began to beat a little faster. It wasn't like she could just drive away.

"Oh, Mommy, I met a new friend today. Her name is Abby, like our cat, and she was wearing the same shoes as me…" She continued to speak, but Karen's eyes widened in panic. The semi wasn't slowing as it approached the street at a terrifying rate.

"Shit." She quickly grabbed the lever at the bottom of her seat and slid it back so she could move faster. Emily couldn't undo the belt on her car-seat, and she knew that the truck was not going to stop. They had to get out together.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" She didn't answer as she hurried to get to the backseat of the car, her large stomach making it more difficult than she needed, or expected it to be. She began to unbuckle the belt, turning to see the semi closer than ever. She wished she would have gotten out of the car to get to Emily, but there was no time, and she was panicking.

"Cover your head." Emily followed the instructions, and Karen huddled over her daughter in a form of protection. As soon as they ducked she could hear the sounds of the collision, the glass of their windows shattering at the impact. Everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

A steady beeping was heard in the distance, an oddly monotone sound. She could hear voices around her, but the owners were unclear to her. Suddenly, she felt an excruciating pain in her head. It was like a really big hangover, like she'd just been hit by a truck…

Her eyes sprang open at the realization. She _had_ been hit by a truck, a large one at top speed. Will was hovering over her face, watching as her glazed over eyes tried to focus. She was in a quick and obvious panic. It was when she saw his face that she realized he was holding her hand.

"Oh, God." He placed his hand to her cheek and she began to cry. "Where is she?"

"She's fine, sweetie, just a scratch on her leg." He placed a soft kiss upon her lips. "They said her mother saved her life." Apparently, the driver of the semi had a heart attack at the wheel and passed out, losing control. He made impact with the two cars next to Karen's and that sort of cushioned the severity of the collision between the truck and her car.

"Where is she?"

"Grace and Jack took her to the cafeteria for breakfast." She thought for a moment as her tears slowed.

"Breakfast? How long have we been here?"

"We can talk about it later, Kare. Why don't you rest?" He brushed her hair away from her forehead, trying his hardest to calm her. She reached her hand out to touch his face, wanting to feel him beneath her palm. Her arm brushed her stomach and she stopped moving, looking downward. She bit her lip as another wave of tears invaded her eyes. He leaned down and pulled her into his arms, cradling her the best way he could.

"Is it?" She took his face in her hands and choked out her question. He only nodded, before pulling her close once again.

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She couldn't understand how she hadn't been injured more than she was. Her only physical injury was a sprained wrist, a dislocated shoulder, and a sore back. She believed that God was clutching her and her child in his arms during the whole accident. Otherwise, she didn't think she would have been breathing.

Even though her physical injuries were minor, she was bleeding emotionally. She lost her baby. It had been too much for her body to handle and the child just didn't have a chance. The doctor said she would have had a baby boy, whom Will would have wanted to name Anthony.

She rolled over in her bed, at least glad to be home. They had kept her for one more night, wanting to make sure that she would be okay to go home. She didn't really care, either way. She was numb.

"Are you hungry?" Will tilted his head and awaited her response. She only shook her head. He crawled in bed next to her and moved until they were face to face. "Do you want to talk?"

"No." After all their years of being together, she had still never really learned to be comfortable with showing emotion. Sure, she had cried in front of him, but talking was a different story. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm going to get Emily in a few minutes, do you want to go?"

"Are you walking there?"

"Yes." She nodded in approval and sighed. "So, do you want to go?" She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

"Why would I? I feel like shit."

"Going for a walk might make you feel better."

"Please, don't push me, honey." She met his eyes and he nodded in understanding. "And don't give me that pitiful look." She turned her back to him and cuddled closer to her pillow, willing him to just leave her alone. He comprehended her change in demeanor, and he left to get Emily from school.

A tear fell down Karen's cheek. Nothing even remotely bad had happened to her family in years. Emily had never been endangered at all, and she couldn't be more relieved that she was able to protect her daughter. But she couldn't keep the thought from her mind that she had failed to protect her son, her baby. She had carried him six months, but couldn't protect him from the harsh realities of the outside world, a world into which he had yet to enter. She was not fine at all.

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Emily sat in front of her on her bed while she braided the young girl's pigtails. She had promised to do so right before their accident, and she wanted to make sure she kept her part of the bargain, even if it was a little late, and her wrist ached while she did so. It was also a good excuse to get her daughter to sit still for a while, giving her time to talk. She wasn't sure how Emily was really handling the accident yet and she wanted to make sure it wouldn't be too damaging, if at all.

"Grandma called today. She wanted to make sure we were still doing okay after our accident." Emily brushed the hair of her dolly and shrugged. "I know how I'm doing. How are you doing?"

"How am I doing what?"

"No, honey, are you feeling okay about our accident?" She wasn't sure how much her daughter understood, but she wasn't willing to take any chances. There was no way she was letting her daughter grow up in a home where she was afraid to show and speak about feelings, not like her. "Does it make you feel sad sometimes?"

"No. I was sad when you were in the hospital, but Daddy said you're better now. So, I'm not sad." She wrapped a small rubber-band around the bottom of a braid and sighed at her daughter's innocence. It was comforting to know that she was still young enough to escape any kind of emotional damage that could have been done. She sighed and took Emily to change into her pajamas.


	4. Chapter 4

Will walked into their bedroom, after a quick check on Emily, and he smiled at the sleeping form of his lover. He knew that the last week or so had been difficult on her, healing from the loss of their baby. She didn't talk about it, but he knew how much it hurt, and of course it did.

He didn't want to bother her with it, but he was hurting too. Ever since he was old enough to think about it, he had wanted to have a family. He loved Emily with all his heart, but the idea of having another child, a son, was more exciting than he could have ever imagined. He stripped down to his boxers and crawled into his side of the bed, kissing Karen's cheek and pulling her close.

He had been meeting with his publisher to rework his contract. His book was quickly rising in popularity, and he wanted to be sure he would be paid fairly. He was also given a deadline for his next book. It was an exhausting process, but he already loved it more than being a lawyer. It kept him feeling fresh and new, a challenge around every corner.

Karen sighed in her sleep, moving slightly. He felt her bandage covered hand grasp his over her stomach as she cuddled closer to him. He could smell the shampoo from her bath and took a deep breath of the scent. His lips moved to touch her cheek once again and he slowly began to kiss her neck. He moved over her a little more and ran his hand through her hair while he continued his journey down her neck.

"Get off me, honey." She pushed him away and rolled over onto her stomach, subconsciously. He chuckled and laid his head on his pillow, allowing himself to succumb to dreams.

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"You yelled at me." He was dressing, getting ready to take Emily to school, when she woke.

"I haven't said anything yet." She was confused, eyes still blurry from sleep. She propped her head up on her elbow and watched as he slid into a pair of pants.

"Last night when I came home, you yelled at me. You told me to get off you." She gave a small giggle, noticeably fake, and laid her head back against the pillow.

"Sorry." He pulled a shirt over his head and shrugged. It never sounded sincere when she apologized, but he assumed it was because she didn't really know how.

"Do you want to walk to school with us?" She only scoffed.

"What do you think?"

"I think you need to stop spending all day in bed." She rolled her eyes and turned away from him. It was too early to fight, and she would have rather gone back to sleep. "I'll make breakfast when I get back, and maybe by then you'll be up."

"Doubt it." And with that, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep as Will sighed and left to help Emily.

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Jack walked into Will and Karen's bedroom and tilted his head at the sight. Will had called earlier and told him that he needed help because she wouldn't get out of bed. She wouldn't even wake up for long before finding sleep again. Jack knew that she was feeling depressed, but he also knew that she would only feel better if she let it all go. She had barely left her bed in two weeks.

"Karebear, wake up." He moved closer to the bed and touched her shoulder. "Karen."

"What the hell do you want? I'm sleeping."

"You always sleep, so I want you to get up. We're going out tonight." She opened her heavy eyes and met his gaze, blankly.

"I've got Emily, Poodle, I can't go out. Take Will and Grace."

"I am, but you have to come too. Will's mom will be here in an hour." He grabbed the blanket from her chest and tossed it to the foot of the bed, revealing her to him. He blushed a little when he realized that she was only wearing a thigh-length tee-shirt and a thong. "Sorry."

"It's not like you haven't seen me before." She shrugged, but still didn't move to cover herself. "You can call her back, honey. I'm not going."

"Yes you are."

"No, Jack, I'm not." Their voices had an edge to them, but he tried his hardest not to get frustrated. He had to continue reminding himself that she wasn't in the best mindset at the moment. Since he knew she didn't mind him seeing her practically naked, after all they _had_ showered together before, he wrapped an arm around her stomach and pulled her from the bed. "Let go!"

"We're picking an outfit." She struggled to get away from his arms, but he forced her into a headlock and led her to the closet. She kicked and tried to slap at him in her attempt to break free, but he had her held strongly in place. She did manage to bring him to the floor, but his headlock remained tight.

"Damn it, Jack!" At the sound of the scuffling, Will rushed into the bedroom. He stopped at the sight before him, Karen and Jack in a small wrestling match, and he smiled. Even after all the passing years, the two friends never ceased to humor him. "Will, help!" Instead of watching her struggle, he shrugged and left the room, closing the door behind him. She was stunned and her voice was extremely angry. "Will!"

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She sat at her vanity with her arms folded over her chest, pouting as if she were Emily. Jack had physically dressed her, and he was currently straightening her hair. She had been no help to him at all, not even giving him the satisfaction of knowing that she really liked her dress and makeup that he picked out. Even though she was dressed and nearly ready, she still didn't want to leave. All she wanted to do was sleep.

"There." He straightened one last strand and sprayed a little hairspray on her hair. "You look hot, Kare."

"Okay." She shrugged and stood from the chair, walking over to her bed. He groaned as he watched her flop down onto her stomach, completely unwilling to leave her bed.

"Karen, we have to go. Stop being such a child." She didn't answer, and he left the room with the slamming of the door. He was gone for over five minutes and she was actually beginning to think that he was going to leave her alone. She sighed and began falling into a small slumber.

"Karen, darling, I'd like to speak with you." Marilyn walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, her eyes on Karen's face. They were soon met by a pair of hazel eyes and the women looked at one another for a moment.

"Mrs. Truman, I appreciate you coming all the way over here, but I'm not going anywhere tonight."

"Yes, you are, dear." She then did something that surprised Karen more than she would have said; she lay down on the bed next to her, their faces only inches away. Karen was suddenly glad that she had just brushed her teeth, with how close their faces were. "I know you're having a hard time, but these things do happen."

"I know you're trying to help, but I'm fine."

"Sleeping more than taking care of your child is not fine." She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not a bad mother."

"You're feeling numb right now. Its difficult to understand how something that was a part of you for so long could suddenly be taken away, but moving on is what makes you stronger."

"I just need some time alone."

"If you take time alone then you'll lose yourself and the people you love."

"How do you…"

"My husband found his mistress, Tina, after I had my miscarriage." Karen was shocked. It wasn't like Marilyn to just express a hidden emotion like that so she knew that the rare moment was time to listen and take note. "I handled it just like you are now, only I didn't have anyone to give me advice. I lost all sense of myself, and I slept for days in a row. It took me over a year to let it go and get back on with my life. But, Karen, you have a little girl who you risked your life and the life of your unborn child to save. She needs you to raise her and be strong for her. So, if there is any one person you need to get up for, do it for Emily, and do it now. You don't get this time back."

She raised a hand and wiped a tear from Karen's cheek, which she wasn't aware of. After a look of understanding, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the dry cheek. She then stood from the bed and left, just as quickly as she had appeared. Karen was left to think.

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She descended the stairs with a small, yet forced, smile on her lips. Will walked over to her, before she was noticed by anyone else, and took her hand in his. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to." She pulled away and pecked his lips.

"I'm going to get drunk tonight, honey." He smiled and fixed a bit of her mascara that was still wet at the corner of her eye. "We're going to let go."

"I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

She placed small kissed down his neck, unbuttoning his shirt on her way. The feeling of his dampened skin beneath her lips was stimulating, and the sounds of his sighs sent a thrill down her spine. She sat up on top of him and lifted her dress over her head before pulling him up with her to remove his shirt. Their lips connected and their tongues brushed, more tenderly than his touch on her back as he unclasped her bra.

Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him close. She loved the feeling of his naked chest against hers, the warmth he gave to her body. Her head fell back as he kissed her throat, running his hands down her back. He heard her breath hitch when his tongue touched her erect nipple and continued to move downward. She arched her back and felt herself hit the mattress as he moved to kiss down her body.

The sound of his lips against her flesh made her smile, especially when he took her panties down her legs. She was finally free of clothing and the anticipation of being close with him was burning in her stomach. Her hands gripped his face and she pulled him to her lips, wrapping her legs around his waist.

She used her feet to rid him of his boxers, and he hurriedly shoved into her center. He moaned as her teeth sunk into his lower lip, a reaction to the suddenness of their connection. His hands rested on her thighs as he began to move, pushing his tongue into her mouth.

Minutes later found them gasping for air, clutching to one another as if they needed to be one entity. She sighed heavily into his mouth when she felt her orgasm building within. It was deep, and she knew it was going to be a heavy pleasure with the amount of time it was taking to explode. Her fingernails dug into his back and his hands grasped the edge of the mattress for deeper penetration as his pace accelerated.

She loudly moaned his name when the warmth burst and spread throughout her body, whimpering as he continued to move. It felt good to feel so weak and dominated. He knew all the right things to do, and he knew how to make love to her with indescribable passion. She pulled him close as her muscles flexed around him, sending shivers down his spine. He quickly followed her path to pleasure and, after the rupture had ceased, he discontinued his movement and collapsed on top of her.

Their tongues twirled together, and he pulled her hair a bit. It was as if time had suspended, and they were drifting through the air on a cloud, at peace. All of the tension from the previous weeks had melted from their bodies. They were left feeling relieved, pristine when he pulled out of her, and they stared at the ceiling.

They continued to lay in blissful silence, which was only punctured by the calming of their breaths as they became deeper. She reached for his hand, and he squeezed in response. When they were together, in the depths of their bed, they were far from everyday events. He wasn't an author, she wasn't a designer's assistant, they weren't parents, they were Will and Karen; lovers. With murmured declarations of love, she rolled close to him, and they slept.

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"Honey, don't poke Abby's face. I don't want her to bite you." Emily groaned and moved away from the cat, which had grown to be very portly since she was first brought into the home. Karen was sitting on her couch with Jack's head in her lap. His coffee date had turned out to be a rude bore, and he hurried to her manse to tell her about it. There was a teacher-work-day at Emily's school so she was out for the day, giving Jack more of a reason to stay until dinner.

"Do you love being a mom?" She rolled her eyes and closed her magazine, which had previously been resting upon her chest.

"I hate it when people ask that question, Poodle. I can't say no or I'd be a bad person, but if I say yes then it doesn't sound believable at all." She giggled and his soft blue eyes met hers in confusion. She felt the need to explain a little further. "The bottom line is, I love my daughter. Motherhood is exhausting, and I'm not sure I like that, but I love having her in my life. Better?"

"Much better."

"It'd probably be easier if I had a mother figure growing up, maybe like Will's. She's helped me a lot."

"Lucky you, she just yells at me. It's always something about greasy hands and keeping them off her walls." He looked at his hands, and she laughed at the childlike look on his face. "Have you talked to your mom recently?" She scoffed and watched Emily begin to build a fort with her blocks.

"She sent me a congratulations card when Emily was born. I asked Gin, though, and apparently she's been back in New York for a while." She shrugged and took a sip from her glass of iced tea. Suddenly, the phone rang from across the room. Jack sat up as Karen moved from beneath him, going to answer the phone. As she spoke, Jack jumped down to the floor and began playing with Emily.

"Honey, you will never believe who that was." Karen returned to the room, placing the phone back on the hook.

"Was it your mother?" He thought of how ironic it would be if her mother called her after they were just speaking about her.

"Of course it wasn't, Poodle. It was Stan. He wants me to fill in for Walker Inc. at some charity function tomorrow night."

"Why would he ask you? You haven't spoken in years."

"I guess because I'm still co-owner of his whole corporation, but, honey, I don't really do anything." She shrugged and sat next to him on the floor, building something of her own with the blocks. "I don't have to speak or anything, just be there as a face of the company. It might be fun." Emily looked up to meet her hazel eyes.

"Mommy, who's Stan?"

"He's my ex-husband, honey." She knew that the concept of exes was something that Emily wouldn't quite understand, but she figured that keeping it boring would keep her less interested. It seemed to work. She wasn't in the mood for recollection of the past.

"Oh." Emily knocked down her tower of blocks and giggled before beginning to make another one.


	6. Chapter 6

"You're drunk." Will glared from his seat next to her. She smiled and nodded, grasping his hand beneath the tablecloth.

"I never understood why I used to drink so much, but I think I figured out why." She leaned closer to his ear and began to whisper. He could smell the alcohol on her breath. "These people are boring, honey."

"You didn't just used to drink a lot, Kare, you were an alcoholic." She scoffed and finished off the rest of her glass of wine, before he took it from her hand. They had arrived at the charity dinner and been handed glasses of wine as soon as they entered the dining room. She quickly dipped back into her old routine, they way she talked to people with such distaste and her drinking habits. He knew who she used to be before they got together, before she stopped harming herself with alcohol and pills, and he wasn't so sure he liked her going back to her old ways. He loved her for who she really was, not who she pretended to be.

"You want to go home." It was more of a statement than a question, but he agreed just the same. Their eyes met and he shrugged. "I know you're not much of a social person, honey, but I promised Stan I'd represent the company."

"I know you did, but you don't have to get wasted to do so." She tried to keep her voice down as she spoke.

"I only had a few glasses. Why are you being so persistent?"

"It wasn't a few, it was eight. That's too much for one person."

"Are you seriously counting?"

"Who in their right mind would just pound eight glasses of wine in such a short amount of time?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm not in my right mind?"

"Maybe I am." She looked away from his eyes and stared at her manicured nails, unmarked from her appointment that morning. She began to feel strange. It was as if she didn't know herself anymore. When she was an active socialite, her nails were always perfect, her clothes were always pressed and designer labeled, and she drank more than anyone she knew. It was as if she had suddenly seen what everyone else saw when they looked at her, and she didn't like it at all. She sniffled to keep her emotions inside, not wanting to look unhappy to the sadistic people at the event.

"Let's go." She stood from the table and walked to the coatroom, leaving Will behind at the table. He watched after her for a moment before quickly following. She stood at the window, waiting for her purse and their coats when she began to feel lightheaded. Her legs wobbled and she began to lose her balance, only to be caught by Will. He held her from behind, his arms around her waist, as the man at the window passed their belongings to them.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Kare." He didn't speak until they were seated in the back of the limo, the doors closed. She met his eyes and he could tell that her inebriated state was causing her mind to feel deeper about what he said. If it was a normal day and she hadn't been drinking, she probably would've just waved a hand in dismissal and made a joke. But she felt differently at the moment. In her mind it was becoming impossible for her to hide any sort of feeling or emotion from him, and she didn't like that.

"Will, I used to be one of those women, the clothes and shoes and manicures, everything. And now I'm lucky if I find a pair of pants that don't make my ass look huge. How bad is it when I start hating myself, just for being me?"

"Did one of those women say something to you?"

"I just don't get the respect I used to get, that's all. It feels wrong."

"They never used to respect you, they feared you. You're mouth has always gotten you into trouble." He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her head to his chest. "But now, you have the ability to be yourself, and I like that."

"But I don't fit in anymore."

"You fit in with the people who matter. So, the socialite scene isn't yours anymore, who cares? Is all the gossiping and putting people down really something you're going to miss?" She smiled at his words, knowing how foolish her thoughts were before; her brain had only been momentarily scattered.

"I guess not."

"And, look at it this way, you're respected by people who have loved you through everything, and none of us judge you. Isn't that enough?" He allowed his words time to sink in before he looked down to her face. He smiled when he saw that her eyes were closed, and her face was relaxed. She wouldn't remember her sadness the next morning.

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She sighed one last time and collapsed upon his chest, breathing heavily. Her orgasm had been so heavily intense that she was lightheaded, seeing stars in the corners of her eyes. Her body felt so limp and useless, heavy, as she lazily placed a kiss on his chest. He ran his hands over her back, feeling her shivering skin beneath them.

"Kiss me." His words were soft, still partially rocked by the passion of the previous activities. Their eyes met and she pressed her lips against his, quickly finding his tongue. Her hands caressed his face as she pulled away. "You're eyes are sparkling." She smiled, his comment being unexpected.

"That's because I'm seeing stars, honey." He chuckled and held her closer, running a thumb over the flesh of her hip. "I can't move."

"We should stay like this forever." His suggestion would have been fine with her, if she had to be honest. If the rest of the world melted away, she would only need their love to be happy.

"We could, though we would have some explaining to do." She pecked his lips and allowed him to pull out, rolling over to lie next to him. He wasn't quite as ready to break the closeness of their bodies, so he pulled her close to rest her head on his chest. "Honey, is this what happiness feels like?"

"I suppose it is." He was taken aback by her thoughts, her words. It was always shocking to him that she could come so quickly back to reality after they made love. And her words were surprising. He wasn't exactly sure what happiness was, but he knew that he felt fine at the moment.

"I don't want it to go away." She held him closer and kissed his collarbone. He ran his fingers through her dark hair.

"But if it didn't go away sometimes, we wouldn't want it as badly, right?"

"Is that how _you_ define happiness?"

"Maybe." He rolled over on top of her and pinned her to the mattress beneath them. She smiled until his lips descended upon hers. "All I know is that I'm happy, and I'm in love with you." She smiled before deciding to voice something that she had been thinking about for a while, hoping he felt the same.

"Marry me." He returned her smile.

**The End**


End file.
